Welcome to Western Wall (HaKotel HaMaaravi)

The Western Wall, known to non-Jews as the Wailing Wall, is the
most sacred Jewish prayer-site in the world. Thousands of
worshippers gather year-round to pray there, and to place folded
written prayers into the crevices of the wall. The 1,916-foot
(584m) wall is all that remains of the Second Temple of Jerusalem,
built in 30BC by King Herod. It is made up of enormous stone
blocks, and endures as a tribute to the scale of workmanship in
past eras. Following Orthodox Jewish practice, the praying sections
have been separated for men and women. Men are required to wear a
skullcap (kippah) and women must be modestly dressed. On Fridays,
the Jewish Shabbat or Sabbath, the men's section particularly
pulsates with the songs and prayers of the faithful, for in
principle, the whole area is an Orthodox synagogue. The wall is
also sacred to Muslims, who believe that it is where the prophet
Muhammad tied up his winged horse, al-Buraq, before ascending into
heaven.

Information & Facts

Address

Temple Mount, Old City

Language

Hebrew and Arabic are the official languages of Israel.
Most of the population also speak English.

Money

The Israeli Shekel (ILS) is divided into 100 agorot (singular is
agora). Money can be changed in the small exchange bureaux found on
most main streets, or at banks and hotels. ATMs are prevalent
throughout the country and linked to American systems. Most banks
are open Sunday through to Friday until noon, and are open again
from 4pm till 6pm on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Major credit
cards are widely accepted, as are travellers cheques, though
commission on these is high.

Don't Miss Out...

Sign up now for our latest deals and offers!!

} ());

ACCEPT COOKIESTo give you the best possible experience, this site uses cookies. Using this site means you agree to our use of cookies. We have published a cookies policy, which you should read to find out more about the cookies we use. View cookies policy.